


Like Cats and Dogs

by madwriter223



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies), Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dialogue Heavy, Friendship, Gen, M/M, characters as animals, some violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-01
Updated: 2015-01-01
Packaged: 2018-03-04 19:05:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3083975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madwriter223/pseuds/madwriter223
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leonard growled lowly when he noticed the new smell – a Cat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Cats and Dogs

Leonard sat in front of his doghouse, glaring grumpily at his bowl. 

He hated when his Master went to work. Each and every day his Master would just take him to the backyard and attach his collar to the damn chain, then the bastard would just pat him on the head and leave. It wouldn't even be that bad if it was just for work. Leonard understood that Masters needed to go there, so that they could bring back tasty things and crunchy bones.

He liked crunchy bones the best.

Back to the topic. Sometimes, his Master would bring home a Lady Friend, and then Leonard would get chained up for the whole night. Which sucked, cause it sometimes got lonely out here at night.

He sighed and lay down, resting his snout on his paws. Boring, boring, boring. Nothing to do, nothing to bark at, nothing to-

A new scent hit his nose, and he surged to his feet, sniffing frantically. He looked up at the wall separating his territory from the other masters' yards, and there. It. Was.

Deeply dark fur, pointed ears, a long tail and intense eyes. It was staring at him as it just sat there.

A Cat.

As was his nature, he started barking, running to the full length of the chain. He stood up onto his back legs, bared his teeth and howled his ownership of this territory. It was His, he denied entry!

The Cat cocked his head to the side slightly, one ear twitching.

“Must you be so loud?” the Cat asked, voice emotionless with a tiny whiff of annoyance.

Leonard stopped barking in surprise and set his front paws back onto the ground. He sat down and stared at the intruder. “I'm a Dog. Dogs bark. It's what We do.”

“I was not aware that it was necessary for your continued survival. By all means, do continue.”

Leonard frowned. The damn Cat didn't even look fazed, just sat there staring at him, expressionless like a stone.

“You're mocking me, aren't you?” Leonard muttered, because, quite frankly, he wasn't sure himself.

“I am not.” His ear twitched suddenly, and the Cat stood up. “I am being called. Good day, Canine.” he said simply and jumped off, disappearing on the other side the wall.

Leonard huffed. Damn weird Cat.

*~*

“I see you are 'in trouble' again.” A voice said, waking Leonard from his afternoon nap.

He jumped to his feet and growled lowly.

“Are the theatrics really necessary?”

Leonard scowled, and sat back. “Who _are_ you?”

“I am a Feline.” The Cat answered, then jumped off the wall and walked towards him. He stopped just outside the reach of the chain, though. 

“I know you're a damn Cat!” Leonard growled. “I meant what's your name?” He frowned. “And what do you mean I'm in trouble?”

“My name is Spock. And my Human has informed me that Canines are chained when 'in trouble'. Apparently, the term 'in trouble' is connected with breaking the rules of the homestead.”

“...You always talk weird like that?”

“I do not understand what can be considered 'weird' in the way I employ language.”

“Yeah. Sure you don't.” He sat up straight, head held high. “I'm Leonard.”

“It is pleasant to make your acquaintance.” The Cat gave a slight dip of his dark head.

“So, you live around here? Can't say I've ever seen you before.”

“That would be logical, considering I haven't been living here prior to our yesterday conversation.”

“So... you're new?”

“Yes. My Human and I have moved here yesterday.” A pause. “May I inquire as to the reason for your enchainment if you are not 'in trouble'?”

“Huh? Oh, my Master chains me up when he goes to work.”

“Why?”

“So I don't have to locked inside the house all alone all day.”

“Illogical. You are alone here.”

“Yeah? Then what are you, air?”

“...I suppose my companionship can be taken into consideration. However, I have not lived here prior to yesterday, thus you were still alone.”

“Basically, but I can always bark up a conversation with the neighbours”

“Ah.”

“Speaking of that, what are you doing here? You don't see a lot of Cats talking to Dogs these days.”

“My Human requested me to find a 'friend'.”

“Oh, you're looking for company.”

“Not particularly.” A black ear twitched. “I am being called. I must depart now.”

“Yeah, see yah.” Leonard muttered, watching as the Cat disappeared over the wall again.

*~*

Leonard stretched contentedly in the pre-afternoon sun. Soon, it would be noon, when the sun was the hottest. A time for all smart Dogs to go inside. But not Cats, apparently.

He looked up at the wall and frowned in annoyance. Spock was there, as he had been for the last week – just lying on the ledge, eyes closed, dark fur soaking up the heat. Spock never sought shadow during the hottest hours, never went inside. He seemed to actually enjoy lying in the same sun Leonard felt as if he would cook under.

The first day, he'd ignored it. Damn Cats and their stupid ideas, right?

The second day, he'd felt curiosity, true, but hadn't asked.

The third day, he'd gotten thirsty just looking at the pointy-eared bastard.

During the forth, fifth and sixth day he'd tried ignoring, but the level of success dropped gradually with each day.

Now, he seriously had had enough.

“Get down from there before you fry what's left of your brains!” he barked.

Spock opened one eye. He looked at the Dog steadily before he stood up and stretched, his lean back curling gracefully. He took a few steps forward, then turned around and lay back down.

Leonard bared his teeth in annoyance. “Are you even listening to me, goddammit?!”

“I am, Leonard. There is no need for the use of shouting or profanity.”

“There is if you're just gonna cook yourself like a damn moron!”

“I am considered to be fairly intelligent by a number of Humans.”

“God _dammit_ , Spock! Just get down!”

“Negative. I am quite comfortable here. I thank you for your concern, however unnecessary it may be.”

Leonard growled. “I doubt you're that comfortable in this smouldering heat.”

“I assure you, I am.”

The tone Spock used gave Leonard pause, and he frowned thoughtfully. “How come?”

“I am a Vulcanese.”

“So?”

“That means, Leonard, that I have a lower body temperature than the average Terran animal. As such, I am capable of surviving in this weather unharmed.”

“Wait. If your body temperature's lower, doesn't that mean you get cold quicker too?”

“Affirmative.” Spock turned his head away, body relaxing under the sunlight.

“So... you're just soaking up the heat so you won't get cold later?”

“If you wish to perceive the situation as such.”

Leonard curled his upper lip. “Then if I promise you a different source of heat, will you come down from there and into some shade?”

“That would be agreeable, yes.”

“Then get down and get into my doghouse.”

Spock lifted his head and turned to look at the Dog, arching his brow at him.

Leonard scowled. “What?”

“And where will you be?”

“In there, with you. And don't give me that look. Body heat is safer than the damn sun.”

Spock kept staring a little longer, then his ear twitched and he stood up again. “I must decline the offer, Leonard.”

“What, I'm not good enough for you?”

“No. My Human is calling me. Good day.”

Leonard snorted and shook his head. Damn weird Cat.

*~*

Leonard's thoughts were pretty simple at the moment.

_Bone, bone, bone, bone, crunchy bone, bone, bone, bone._

A scent caught his nose, and he bared his teeth, growling out a possessive “MINE!!”.

“I believe now I comprehend why your Human refers to you as 'Bones'.” came the dry reply, and four silent paws landed on the grass.

“Oh, it's you.” Leonard twitched his nose and sniffed the air for other intruders. Just in case.

Good, no one else.

“Can't you see I'm eating?” he asked then went back to his nice crunchy bone.

“I apologize. Should I leave?”

Leonard paused and looked at the Cat. Spock was still sitting just outside the length of the chain. His head was tilted to the side in curiosity, and his long tail was swishing slowly behind him.

“Nah, you can stay. You hungry?”

“Not particularly.”

Leonard stood up and grabbed his bowl between his teeth, lifting it carefully. He brought it closer to the Cat and dropped it on the ground in front of him, then returned to his bone. “You can have the dry food. It's good.” He lay back down. “But I'm not sharing the bone.”

Spock was silent, though he did bend down to sniff at the offering.

Leonard went back to his food, waiting till he heard the crunch of the dry food before going back to biting his treat with relish.

*~*

Leonard stood in a defensive position, growling lowly. He'd been listening to the commotion since morning. First, Scotty had started barking that that goddamn, no good, mangy cur of a _Cat_ was destroying his Mistress' rock garden again. Then, Chekov had yipped up a storm to get the damn thing out of his Master's exotic plants, his barks heavy with his accent. Cupcake and two other dogs started barking soon after, indicating that the goddamn thing was getting closer to Leonard. The whole neighbourhood was in an uproar.

And now, he could hear the sounds of a fight from Spock's yard – very distinctive sounds of two Cats trying to scratch each others' eyes out.

Hope Spock's winning, that fucking thing needed a good bash on the head.

Suddenly, two shapes leapt onto the wall, jumping and hissing at each other. Leonard howled and bared his teeth, cheering Spock on.

That's the way, bite the bastard!

With a definitely illegal move, the grey Cat managed to push Spock down and off the wall. The Vulcanese landed on his feet, his back arching angrily when the grey tabby landed in front of him. A brief pause, and the two Cats were on each other again, scratching, biting and hissing.

Leonard bared his teeth again, edging backwards and lowering himself to the ground, trying to make himself invisible, to stay out of the two Cats' line of sight. He would be ready, no matter who the winner was.

With a move that definitely would've broken a Dog's back, the grey Cat threw Spock to the ground. The momentum of the throw made the black body slide forward, stopping well inside the reach of the chain. The other Cat grinned triumphantly and stalked closer to the lying Feline, sharp claws leaving little marks on the ground.

However, before he could attack again, a large shadow fell over them both. The grey Cat looked up and froze.

“Hello, Nero.” Leonard growled and surged forward, snapping his jaws at the bastard.

He managed to snatch the thing's tail, but the grey tabby managed to yank himself free, some of its fur remaining in Leonard's teeth. The tabby ran away, half-naked tail between his legs. Good.

“Thank you for your assistance, Leonard.” Spock said, looking up at the Dog from his spot between the Dog's front paws.

“You're welcome.” The Dog muttered, backing up slightly. “What's with your leg?”

Spock stared at him, one brow rising.

“I saw how you landed.” Leonard elaborated. “On three feet, the forth was curled under you.”

“It was injured during my confrontation.”

Leonard nodded and lay down next to the Cat, sniffing at the aforementioned limb. He quickly located the wound and nuzzled at it, licking away both blood and sting.

It said a lot that Spock allowed it.

*~*

“Leonard?”

The Dog lifted his head, blinking blearily at the Cat. Spock was sitting in front of him, inside the reach of his chain, staring at him in that intense way of his.

Leonard yawned widely and stretched. “Yeah?”

“Is your offer of... sharing body heat still valid?”

A slow blink. “It ain't so hot today.”

“I am aware. Should I leave?”

A smile. “Nah. Get in. Make yourself comfortable and all that.”

Spock did so – he entered the doghouse, and curled into a comfortable ball, pressing against the Dog's side. Leonard curled around him, pressing his nose to the top of the black furred head. He inhaled the Cat's exotic scent and relaxed.

Ah, Hell. He might as well catch some Zs too.

The End


End file.
